The secluded beaches on San Domino, just off Italy's Puglia coast, are worth a
visit and Cala delle Arene, Cala Matano and Cala Tramontana are among the
island's best.

Why go? San Domino, San Nicola, Capraia, Cretaccio and Pianosa, the five tiny islands that make up the Tremiti archipelago, are part of the Gargano National Park, a large nature reserve in the north of Puglia.

Only San Domino and San Nicola are inhabited, although it is possible to visit the other three by boat to take advantage of the islands’ rugged scenery and the outstanding scuba-diving available in their surrounding waters.

Who goes? The Tremiti are a very popular diving destination owing the number of coves and underwater caves in the archipelago’s waters. Most tourists are Italian weekenders from Ancona, Perscara and Bari, although the islands are gradually gaining a reputation among overseas visitors too.

What is there to do? San Domino has dozens of beautiful coves, many of them with a very secluded feel due to the island’s tortuous coastline. Cala Matano, Cala Tramontana and Cala delle Arene (the archipelago’s only sandy beach) are all worth a special mention. The fragrant pine woods that continue almost to the water’s edge on San Domino are ideal for gentle trekking and the island is small enough to be able to cross on foot in around two hours. Divers will enjoy exploring the archipelago’s impressive underwater caves and coral reefs and there is a Roman shipwreck 24m underwater off San Domino’s Cala Zio Cesare with local diving company, Marlin Tremiti (+39 0882 463 765, www.marlintremiti.it, Italian only). Boat trips to the islands’ many coastal caves depart throughout the day from the ports on both San Domino and San Nicola.

Bars and bites Because only San Domino and San Nicola are inhabited, if you’re planning on visiting one of the other three islands a picnic lunch is essential. The best fish to be had on San Domino is at Ristorante da Pio (Via Aldo Moro 12, +39 0882 463 269). Try the family-run restaurant’s speciality, spaghetti with lobster, and book in advance for a table on the small terrace. For pizza, Il Galeone, also on San Domino, stands out above the rest (+39 0882 463 293, Via San Domino).

Getting there Ryanair (www.ryanair.com) flies to Pescara from London Stansted. There are daily buses and trains running between Pescara and Termoli, the port town 113km south, from where you can catch a ferry for the hour-long crossing to San Domino (Adria Shipping: +39 0875 705 343 or Navigazione Libera del Golfo: +39 0875 704 859). Note that all ferries to the Tremiti are exclusively for foot passengers. Cars must be left at the port at Termoli. A more luxurious option is the 20-minute helicopter flight from Foggia to the islands (Alidaunia: +39 0881 617 961, www.alidaunia.it).